109-Year-Old Arlington Heights Woman Receives Vaccine

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — She was first in line, but even if she had been last, Elzora Costello still would've been the oldest. The 109-year-old resident of Luther Village, a retirement community in Arlington Heights, received her first dose of the coronavirus vaccine at 8:30 a.m. Monday.

"I asked her caretaker and she said she’s doing great," Costello's granddaughter, Cindy Vilcak, told Patch Tuesday. "She's having no reactions."

Rick Remington, director of operations at Luther Village, confirmed that Costello is the oldest resident at 1250 Village Drive. The Daily Herald is reporting that records provided by state officials indicate the oldest person to receive the vaccination so far is 109, but no additional information was available due to confidentiality procedures.

Illinois moved into Phase 1b Monday, the second phase of its COVID-19 vaccination distribution plan, in which those 65 and over and certain front-line workers are eligible to receive doses.

Coronavirus Vaccine Registration Opens For Arlington Heights

Vilcak, of Elk Grove Village, said her grandmother grew up in Chicago and lived on the Northwest side before moving to Palatine with her husband, since deceased. Though Costello's three children have also died, she has 11 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren.

She has been living at Luther Village for more than 20 years.

"She enjoys playing pinochle with her lady friends and family, too," Vilcak said.

Vilcak, who said her grandmother is the first member of the family to receive the vaccine, was contacted by Luther Village to see if Costello wanted to sign up to get it. After checking with her doctors and getting the go-ahead, Vilcak signed her grandmother up.

She added that seeing her grandmother during the pandemic has been particularly difficult.

"I haven’t been able to see her too much," Vilcak said. "We did have a cake for her birthday in September. It’s a little difficult as she is hard of hearing, and really can't talk on the phone, since she really can't hear."

Remington said Luther Village plans to vaccinate 750 residents and 60 staff members over a three-day period that concludes Wednesday. He said Luther Village was lucky to get the vaccine through Jewel-Osco after being put in touch with pharmacist Rachel Coppinger, who was "responsible for making it happen."

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